How The HRD Compares To The GIA

With some diamonds reaching far into the millions, it is quite obvious why people are so careful when it comes to buying such a stone. The many scams that you read about on the internet and even in local newspapers doesn’t make it any easier. Yes, there are thousands of scams going around in the diamond industry and quite a large number of people have fallen victim to such scams. Some people are sold best looking fake diamonds, such as moissanite stones, which has similar qualities to a diamond when viewed from far away, but, at closer inspection, certain traits make such a stone recognizable – yet, to the untrained individual who does not know how to tell the difference real diamonds vs fake diamonds, the stone may still look like a real diamond. Then there is also the large number of jewelers that rely on certain grading institutes that are known for inaccurately rating the quality of a diamond. In this post, we would like to focus on the HRD – one particular company that is often seen amongst the list of lab created diamond companies that should be avoided when considering a diamond grade report.

HRD Certification

First, let’s take a look at the HRD. When you do a search for this institute online, the first result you’ll notice is called “HRD Antwerp”. This is the original name of the institute due to the fact that they originated in Antwerp. Just like the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the GSA (Gem Society of America), the HRD is also an organization that offers numerous professional services in the diamond and gemstone industries. The company has laboratories with professional diamond experts, trained to inspect diamonds under specialized tools to determine their value and quality. Apart from their laboratories, they also have a network of professionally trained appraisers that are registered with the company – these appraisers also offer diamond grading services to the general public, as well as to diamond traders and collectors.

One particular aspect about HRD Antwerp that we found interesting is the fact that, in addition to their appraisal services and their network of trained diamond experts, the institute also sells a variety ofequipment that can be purchased to inspect diamonds. These equipment include alpha diamond analyzers, D-Screen tools, s, Tender-Scopes and more.

Unfortunately, not all is good when it comes to the HRD. For example, when a diamond is presented to a potential customer along with a certificate that declares the details of the diamond that was observed during the initial investigation by the appraiser, the consumer needs some way to verify the validity of the particular diamond certificate number presented to them. In cases like with the GIA, for example, a simple tool is available on their website where the certificate can be instantly verified. HRD, on the other hand, does not provide any type of verification tools on their website that allows potential customers to verify whether or not a particular certificate that is presented to them is actually valid or falsified.

Another factor about the HRD that has been well-recognized amongst professionals in the diamond industry is the fact that they often present inaccurate reports with a diamond, which means the customer could pay more for a diamond that they would’ve if the diamond were graded by a different institute, such as the GIA – as these institutes are stricter when it comes to grading a diamond based on the standard diamond grading system.

Conclusion

The HRD, an institute that originated in Antwerp, is known to provide inaccurate grading reports when they inspect the quality of diamonds and other gemstones. Here we listed the advantages of this company, along with the drawbacks – such as the fact that diamonds graded by them are sometimes inaccurately graded, which means the diamond would end up costing more than it is worth. We advise consumers in search of a diamond to look for diamonds that come with a GIA certificate, or a certificate from another trustworthy institute to ensure they do not overspend while shopping.

With experience dating back to when brick and mortar was the ONLY source for shopping for diamonds, I have countless men find the perfect diamond for that special occasion. As your Personal Diamond Consultant, I'm here to make sure you end up with the perfect stone.